Down By the Water
by hahaowned
Summary: Janie and her siblings are asked to fetch water for old Ms. Holt. But will a storm and a huge fight with their mom get in the way. How will they live without her? Will the civil war tear them apart? Or will their mother?


Hey all! This is my first published story hope you like it...I know its unfinished but I will finish it asap! Instead of different documents being different chapters, I have added headings like: The Beginning and Ten Years Later.

THE BEGINNING

"Darling children, I have received word from over yonder that Miz Holt could use some water. Take Tom down to the pond before the storm erupts please." Mrs. Lane asked. On a dark, cloudy day in the year eighteen-fifty-two, her children then left to get water for their neighbor. Ms. Julie Holt was 83 years old, ancient for the times. "Yes mother." nine-year old Janie Lane replied.

She grabbed her siblings Johnny and Lizzie, found Tom, and left with a wagon and a barrel. As they arrived at the wooden gates, seven-year-old Johnny looked up and stated, "Uh – Janie. I think it gonna rain soon". "Hmmm..." Janie pondered. It was difficult to be in charge of safety and such at such a young age. "Well, let's hurry then I guess".

Along with them, was their servant and their friend, eight-year-old Tom. Tom was an orphan, as his entire family was killed in a fire at his old master's home that killed everyone and destroyed everything. When it was over, infant Tom was all that could be found unscarred. The Lanes purchased him from the town, and he had served them and secretly befriended the children since. As the children walked down to the waters, past the wooden fence, it began to rain. Not wanting poor Johnny or five-year-old Lizzie to become ill, Janie decided to sent them home. "Johnny – I don't think this is a good idea after all." she said. "Why don't you take Lizzie home?".

Scared of the weather, she did not have to tell Johnny twice before he and his little sister were long gone. Tom looked at her, then hesitantly prepared to collect the water for Ms. Holt. As Tom took the bucket into the water, a flash of lightning struck and Tom screamed before backing away abruptly from the waters.

Much to Janie's sadness, Tom crumpled to the ground crying in pain, so Janie gathered the water as quickly as possible, then put Tom in the wagon and dragged it home. Tom fell asleep in the wagon, and after Janie cleaned up his burn as best she could, she put the wagon in the slaves quarters and closed the door quietly before running inside. When she did, she realized her mother was standing there with Johnny and Lizzie. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Mrs. Lane yelled. "Johnny – Please put Lizzie to bed and go to rest yourself". "Yes mamma" Johnny immediately responded before taking Lizzie upstairs.

Emily Lane then looked crossly at her daughter Jane. "You should have come home with your siblings. You could have died. Remember your father?" John Lane Sr. died after being struck by lightning in the backyard. "Mamma -" "NO!", Ms. Lane interrupted.

"I will not hear of it. You will give the water to Ms. Holt, offer a slave, and return." "MOTHER YOU CAN'T GIVE TOM AWAY!" Janie screamed, almost crying herself. "I can. Or you can. But keep in mind I'm not picky on new owners", she replied harshly.

Sobbing out of control now, she ran out back into the storm, not hearing or listening to her mothers subsequent screams to return. She went to the slaves quarters, with Tom still in it, and dragged it across the fields to Ms. Holt's homestead. When she arrived, she explained everything to Ms. Wilder, the maid, who hurriedly took the water to Ms. Holt, with Tom and Janie in pursuit. Meanwhile, Mrs. Lane sat in the living room crying, while Johnny tried to get Lizzie to sleep. He had seen his big sister Janie drag Tom away, and wondered what could have happened. He did not remember what happened to his father, as he was too young at the time, but he knew Janie should not have been out there. He heard his mother crying downstairs, but after all of the yelling, he feared going to find out what happened, plus he was earnestly trying to get Lizzie to sleep.

Back at Ms. Holt's house, she was drinking water from a glass she had dipped in the barrel, as Janie explained the situation with Tom and her mother. She liked Ms. Holt. While it was dangerous to befriend and entrust her mother's friend, Ms. Holt always listened and always kept their discussions confidential unless vitally important. "...and then I ran Tom and the water over here anyways", Janie finished. "Well..." Ms. Holt said, "I'm not sure what to say. Growing up in the 1770's, I never had such a rebellious attitude toward my mother nor such a friendliness towards slaves". She glanced at Tom as she finished.

"Neither I in the 1830's. Dear I'm not sure if its my place to say, but I think you have severely hurt and disrespected your mother, and you ought to apologize", Ms. Wilder cut in. Janie didn't like her. She was nosy and a gossip spreader. "You're right. It's not your place to say. Please leave us." Ms. Holt said coldly.

Ms. Wilder glared at Janie and left the room. "Dearie. You probably did do such to your mother. But she hurt you as well. Forgive her when your ready", Ms. Holt advised. "Well where would I go until I forgive her?" Janie asked.

"Why don't you stay here? I would love to have you. I can have Ms. Wilder set up a room for you..." _Thump_. The door hit and we heard a woman say ow. Janie and Ms. Holt looked at each other before Ms. Holt said, "...that is, if Ms. Wilder works here much longer." All of a sudden we heard scrambling up the stairs.

Ms. Holt and Janie smiled and laughed. Back at the Lane's home, while all this happened, Mrs. Lane was still crying her eyes out as she drank and drank and drank. Fearing what this could come out to, Johnny picked up Lizzie, who still wasn't sleeping, and he ran her over to Ms. Holt's as well, just as the storm began to end. When he and Lizzie entered, they saw a maid listening at the door. All of a sudden she stood straight up banging her head on the door. Then she ran past us outside, and we ran upstairs. They found an empty guest room, and hid there.

Two hours later, they were surprised as someone entered the room. It was Tom. He made the bed and put an adult woman's nightgown on it, and then left the room. Ten minutes later, Janie entered. She lit a candle, changed into the nightgown, and sat on the bed. Johnny smiled and got up with Lizzie to greet her. She screamed in surprise then hugged them.

Then suddenly the door opened and Ms. Holt entered, screamed, and fainted. Ms. Holt died that night, and the children held a funeral for her, and took care of the house with Tom after.

TEN YEARS LATER

"LIZZIE!" yelled Johnny from downstairs, "Can you answer the door?". "FINE!" Lizzie yelled. For the last ten years, Johnny had been acting more like a parent than Janie or even mother ever did. It annoyed her. But it shocked her who was at the door.

When she opened the door, who would be there, but 40-year-old Emily Lane, her mother. "I knew it!" the woman rasped. Then she turned around and stomped away. Lizzie ran to tell Johnny, Tom, and Janie what had happened. When she walked into the living room, Johnny and Tom were playing chess, and Janie had her arms around Tom. After Ms. Holt passed away all those years ago, Tom was freed, and just recently they secretly were married.

"Who was it?" asked Tom. Since about a year after they left mother, Tom had been accustomed to living the life of freedom, however secret it would have to be. Living in Mississippi, it was not a good idea to be to public about it. The Ku Klux Klan was still very active at the time. "Mother. Miz Emily Lane." Lizzie said quietly.

When they left their mother, Lizzie was only five years old, and would not have known this to be so bad if Johnny and Janie hadn't explained it. It was the year 1864, and the civil war was in full throttle. They were afraid Tom and Johnny would have to fight. Mother would ensure it. She would ensure that the children would no longer have each other, and then would need her again. So they weren't surprised when Tom and Johnny did indeed leave, and then Emily returned to her daughters. "Hello Dear".

Janie had a look of disgust and Lizzie looked shocked. Emily did not even seem to notice, and she walked right into the house past the girls. "Where is Ms. Holt? I have not heard from her in years...been wondering", Ms. Lane said suspiciously. "She's been dead for ten years mother", replied Janie. "And how was that? You didn't-" Emily stopped and looked at her estranged eldest child.

"Old age. Maybe a bit of shock when my other siblings showed up", Janie replied as she nodded toward Lizzie. Emily looked at her accusingly, then walked to the door and left without a word. "Why is she here and what does she mean?" Lizzie asked. "Trouble Liz. A lot of trouble".

The next few months passed, and by the time Tom returned, the Civil War was ending and no word or sighting of Emily Lane had been made. Johnny had been killed. Go figure, Emily returned during the hardest time of their lives. While preparing for a funeral for John, Janie was pregnant. !-- page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --Back then they had no pregnancy tests --- but she must have been far along because it was pretty obvious. "Hello my dears", Mrs. Lane said grimly to her two daughters and son-in-law. "You got no business here Miz Lane", replied Tom in the same grim manner.

He remembered hearing what she had planned for him while Janie told Ms. Holt. "For one, you mean to say it, 'isn't my business', and my second point is that it most certainly is" she replied with disgust. "Really? How do you figure?" he backfired. "He's my son." She glared at him with pure hatred of a former master as she said this.

Janie began to cry and walked quickly inside. "Back off Tom -" Lizzie said, confusing both him and Emily. "-as much of our lives she missed, she was still his mother." Emily went inside as Tom left for a walk. How can life get anymore confusing? Lizzie thought. No one answered her.


End file.
